Switching device



TlVar. 13, 1923*.

J. M BROWN SWITGHING DEVICE 2 sheets-sheet l INVENTOR mas M Bmw/7 FiledJune 17, 1918 ATTORNEY Mar. 13, 1923. l l 1,448,383 l.

' J. M. BROWN l SWITCHING DEVICE Filed June 17, 1918 2 sheets-sheet 2H95 I y F/g, 6

C/osed n wlTVNl-:ssEs: lNvENToR jmd. James M. Brown W BY ' ATTORNEYPatented Mar. 13, 1923.

UNITED STATES SWITCHIN' G- DEVICE.

Application led June 17, 1918.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, JAMES M. BROWN, a citizen of the United States, anda resident of Pittsburgh, in the county of Allegheny and State ofPennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in SwitchingDevices, of which the following is a specification.

y invention relates to switching devices and particularly to switchesand circuit interrupters of the safety type.

One object of my invention is to provide a switch that shall have meansfor easily removing and electrically disconnecting the movable contactmembers from the switch housing under predetermined conditions.

Another object of my invention is to provide a switching device, of theabove indicated character, that shall have fusesthat are accessible onlywhen the same are disconnected :from the circuit.

A further object of my invention is to provide a device of the aboveindicated character that shall be simple and inexpensive to constructand effective in its operation.

In practicing my invention, I provide a switch compartment or housinghaving stationary contact members therein. A movable frame is slidablymounted in the housing and is adapted to support the movable contactmembers. The frame is adapted to be locked in position so long as theContact members are in engagement, and a means is provided for obtainingquick operation of 5 the movable contact members. The fuses may bemounted on the frame and thus can only be replaced when they aredisconnected from the circuit.

Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings is a perspective view of a.switching device embodying my invention; Fig. 2 is a side view,partially in elevation and partially in section, of a switch embodyingmy invention; Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the switch shown in Fig. 2;Fig. et is a front elevational view of the switch shown in Fig. 1, Fig.5 is a transverse section through the switch mechanism and taken on theline V-V of Fig. 2 and looking in the direction of the arrows shown inFigs. 2 and 3, the mecha- Serial No. 240,316.

nism being shown partly in elevation and partly in section; Fig. 6 is adetail view of the overload tripping device used in my invention, thesection being taken on the line VI-VI oi Fig. 5; Fig. 7 is a view takenalong the line VII-VII of Fig. 3 diagrammatically illustrating therelative position of the crank arms, and Fig. 8 is a detail view of theoperating handle and latching device shown in Fig. 2 of the 'drawings.

A compartment or housing 1 is provided with guiding members 5 andstationary contact members 2 and 3 that are insulated from thehousing'by members 4. A frame 6. having recesses in the sides 7 thereof,is adapted to be slidably mounted on the guiding members 5 and isprovided with a r tatable shaft 8. A plurality of members 9 tact members10 and 11. Fuses 12 are connected between the respective contact members10 and 11 and, with the contact members, constitute bridging membersthat are adapted to engage the .stationary contact members 2 and 3.

As illustrated in Figs. 2, 3 and 5, a crank arm 13 is mounted on theshaft 8 and is connected, through a spring 14, to a crank arm 15 at oneend of a member 16 of a twolever operating device 17. The operatingdevice 17 comprises the member 16 and a handle lever member 18 that arepivotally mounted on a pin 19. A latch 20 is mounted on the member 18for the purpose of holding the members 16 and 18 in latched engagement,under predetermined conditions, and a spring 21 is provided for movingthe member 16 when the same is released by reason of the operation of atripping device 22. The shunt tripping device 22, comprising anelectromagnet- 22a and an armature rod 29, is mounted 0n a panel 23 thatis supported on the frame 6 and constitutes a 95 closure for thecompartment 1.

projection 25 is mounted at the inner end of the shaft 8 and is adaptedto extend through an oblong opening 25a in the rear of the compartmentl. The projection25 10 similar oblong shape is which is smaller than theopening 25a and of so disposed with respect to the opening in thecompartment 1 that it is permitted to pass through the opening when theshaft 8 is in such position that the contact members 10 and 11 aredisengaged from the stationary contact members 2 and 3, res ectively.

When the sha 8 is'in such position that the contact members yaredisengaged, the projection 25 moves to such a position wit respect tothe opening in the compartment 1 that the frame 6 may be movedrelatively to the compartment 1 to permit inspection of contact membersor replacement of the fuses 12.

When the switch is in open position, as illustrated in full lines inFig. 3, the latch 20 engages the lever 16 and causes that lever to movewith the handle 18 when the latter is moved to closed position,indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 3. When the handle is in closedposition, the latch 26 en ages a rojection 27 on the tripping-deviceracket and holds the switch in closed position. This latch is normallreleased by a trip rod 27aJ which extends t roughv the handle andengages one end of the latch 26.

When the handle is moved from closed position, indicated in full linesin Figs. 3, 5 and 7 the crankarm 15 is moved to the position indicatedin dotted lines in the said figures and, when the crank 15 passes thedead-center line 13a, Fi 7 the switch crank 13 is moved from close,kosition to the open position, shown in dotte lines, with a snapaction.Closing movement of the crank 15 similarly causes closingl movement ofthe switch crank with a. snap-action.

When the switch is in closed position, the latch 20 occupies a positionadjacent the free end of the amature rod 29. When the relay coil 22a'Iis energized, the armature trips the latch 2O free of the lever 16, andthe spring 21 causes the crank 15 to be moved to open position. Thelatch 20 may be tripped by a rod 24 that is actuated by an overload orshort-circuit current passing through the switch blade 9.

The rod 24 is slidably mounted in brackets 28, which are secured to theshaft 8, and serves to actuatev the armature rod 29 through the medium of .a bell-crank lever 30 and a lever 31 that are pivoted to the panel23. The lever 30 is provided with an arcuate wing 32 with which the endof the rod 24 registers, regardless of the position of the switch shaft.

The rod 24 is actuated by means of an `electromagnet 33 that surroundsthe switch- .blade members 9 and which is energized by meansof thecurrent passing therethrough. rIfhe magnet is provided with a pivotedarmature 34 that is hinged at 32 to theI magnet, and which is pro 'dedfwith a forked h ously modified without arm 33 which engages collars 34secured to the rod 24. When the current passing through the switchmembers 9V increases, due to an overload or a short circuit, the rod 24is moved toward the lever 30 and causes it to trip the rod 26 which, inturn, trips the latch 20 and causes the switch to be opened in themanner hereinbefore described.

My invention is not limited to the particular devices illustrated, as itmay be varideparting from the spirit and scope of the invention as setforth in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. A switching device comprising a switch compartment having guide-waysand stationary contact members therein, a rectangular frame slidable onthe guide-ways, movable contact members pivoted in the frame and meansfor actuating the movable contact members into'and out of engagementwith the stationary contact members when the frame is in position.

2. A switching device comprising a switch compartment having horizontalguide-ways on the side walls and stationary contact members mounted onopposite side walls of lthe compartment, a frame slidably mounted on theguide-ways, movable contact members on the frame, means for actuatingthe movable contact members and means for preventing the movement-of theframe unless the contact members are disengaged.

3. Switch mechanism comprising a compartment having vertical rear andsidewalls, horizontal guide-ways mounted on the side walls, arectangular frame slidably supported on the guide-ways, contact memberson the side walls, a bridging member for the contact members pivotallymounted on the frame and rotatable in a plane transverse to thedirection of movement of the frame and means for preventin movement ofthe frame so long as the bri ging member is in engagement with thecontact members.

4. Switch mechanism comprising a compartment having vertical rear andside walls, horizontal guide-ways mounted on the side walls, arectangular frame slidably supported on the guide-ways for movement intoan out of the compartment, contact members on the side walls, a bridgingmember Jior the contact members, a horizontal. operating shaft pivotedto the front and rear portions of the frame, and supporting the bridgingmember for rotary movement and means for preventing movement of theframe so long as the bridging member is in engagement with the contactmembers.

5. Switch mechanism comprising a compartment having vertical rear andside walls, horizontal guide-ways mounted on the side walls, a framehaving an opening therein and slidably supported on the guide-ways formovement into and out of the compartment, Contact members on the sideWeils, a. end means for preventing movement of the bridging member forthe Contact members, frame so long as the bridging member is ahorizontal operating shaft pivoted to the in engagement with the Contactmembers. 10 front and rear portions of the frame and In testimonywhereof, I have hereunto 5 supporting the bridging member in the saidsubscribed my name this 31st day of May,

opening for rotary movement into and out 1918. of engagement with theContact members, Y JAMES M. BROWN.

